Symkus column: How to have a Beatles film festival in your living room

Ed Symkus More Content Now

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Apr 13, 2020 at 10:51 AMApr 13, 2020 at 10:51 AM

When you think of the Beatles, you think rock stars, British invasion, the quartet responsible for shaking up and forever changing the face and sound of pop culture. You think “She Loves You” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” or maybe “Rubber Soul” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” You think of music!

But during their heyday, the Beatles also spent some noteworthy time making movies. They acted in two features (“A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!”) and one made-for-British TV film that later had a brief theatrical release (“Magical Mystery Tour”), were turned into cartoon characters that were voiced by other actors (“Yellow Submarine”) and were the subjects of a documentary (“Let It Be”).

With another documentary, Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back” - a different look at the band’s “Let It Be” period - currently in post-production, and last year’s reissue of the 1969 album “Abbey Road” still on the Billboard 200 chart, the Beatles remain one of the most popular bands across the universe.

Their films vary in quality, from excellent to barely watchable. But they’re all, to some degree, worth checking out. Here’s a snapshot guide to what they’re about, and how to see (most of) them at home.

“A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” (1964)The witty, snarky, and often insightful script by Alun Owen rightfully earned an Oscar nomination. But it was Richard Lester’s innovative direction, along with the relaxed, natural presence of John, Paul, George, and Ringo - playing themselves - in crisp black and white - that made this satirical, plot-free look at a hectic couple of days in the lives of the lads one of the best films in the music canon. Add in delightful performances by Wilfrid Brambell as Paul’s mischievous grandfather and by Victor Spinetti as a stressed-out TV director, along with a heaping helping of slapstick humor and a soundtrack chockablock with pop gems, and you’ve got a classic. (Available to rent or buy at Amazon and to borrow from many libraries when they reopen)

“HELP!”The switch to color made for more vibrant, brassy visuals, but the same can’t be said about the pleasing casual ambiance of “HDN,” which was lacking here. A bit over-plotted - a fan sends a big garish ring to Ringo, who slips it on a finger, can’t get it off, then discovers that whoever wears it becomes the centerpiece of a ritual sacrifice from some unnamed Eastern country. The script tries too hard to be madcap, resulting in too many gags that fall flat. But the Beatles (reportedly quite stoned most of the time) are brimming with self-deprecatory humor, and the film - once again directed by Richard Lester - comes across as almost James Bond-like in its location work, hopping from London to the Austrian Alps to the Bahamas. Also, once again: A terrific batch of songs. (Available to buy at Amazon and from libraries)

“MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR” (1967)There are very few credits attached to this hour-long piece of piffle. We may never know who wrote it or directed it (was it all of the Beatles?), but the cinematography is attributed to Richard Starkey M.B.E. - gotta say, it’s a good thing he kept his day job as a drummer. The “plot” consists of four British fellows (you know who) hopping onto a tour bus that heads into rural England in search of “magic.” In a non sequitur of a scene, they also play four magicians. And John appears as a spaghetti-shoveling waiter in a restaurant. The film’s songs, with the exclusion of the splendid “The Fool on the Hill,” are below par, but at least the Bonzo Dog Band shows up to perform “Death Cab for Cutie” in a nightclub sequence. So, do you really need to see this film? Yes, but only if you consider yourself a Beatles completist. (Available to buy at Amazon and from libraries)

“YELLOW SUBMARINE” (1968)Notable mostly for its vivid psychedelic look, this animated film aimed at buzzed adults (it’s fine for kids, but they won’t get most of the references) features four characters named John, Paul, George, and Ringo, who closely resemble the Beatles. And there’s plenty of Beatles music, though a big chunk of it is from earlier in their career. The fairytale story (co-written by Erich Segal, of “Love Story” fame) has the peaceful, music-loving residents of Pepperland being attacked by the nasty, music-hating Blue Meanies. Can our four heroes save the day? Dumb question. Of course they can, and do. Bonus: The real-live Beatles show up on camera for a singalong at the end. (Available to buy at Amazon and from libraries)

“LET IT BE” (1970)On one level, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s documentary is a kind of depressing fly-on-the-wall peek at a testy period in the Beatles’ relationships with each other. On another, it delves into how their creative processes worked. On yet another - the rooftop concert that caps off the film and proved to be their final live performance - it shows what a tight, damn good band they were. The presence of Yoko Ono throughout is an unneeded distraction, but this is a documentary, and she was there. All these years later, palpable excitement is in the air over what Peter Jackson will do with the same footage when his version is released at summer’s end. (Currently unavailable, unless you know someone with a bootleg copy)Ed Symkus can be reached at esymkus@rcn.com.